Outside viewing device for a vehicle, comprising a camera

ABSTRACT

An outside viewing device for a vehicle, having a camera that is housed in a casing having a frontal wall through which there passes an imaging window, and an internal partition which is parallel to the frontal wall and through which there passes an opening next to the imaging window. In addition, two peripheral wiper seals, disposed at the periphery of the window and the opening, delimit a guide in which a transparent screen slides, in a sealed manner, between at least two imaging positions, in each of which different surface portions of the screen are positioned next to the imaging window. Finally, a device for moving the screen is designed to slide the latter between its different positions.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. National Phase Application of PCTInternational Application No. PCT/FR2018/051194, filed May 17, 2018,which claims priority to French Patent Application No. 1754442, filedMay 19, 2017, the contents of such applications being incorporated byreference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an outside viewing device for a vehicle, havinga camera.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Increasingly, vehicles are equipped with cameras that are installed onthe outside of said vehicles and are intended to assist drivers, such ascameras known as backup cameras that are used in particular duringparking and or reversing maneuvers, and panoramic cameras that are usedto make it easier for road vehicles of the heavy duty type to carry outmaneuvers, etc.

One development aims, moreover, to use these cameras for “rearview”purposes, or, in other words, to replace the rearview mirrors ofvehicles with cameras housed in profiled shells, having notably theadvantage of exhibiting a drag coefficient that is notably less thanthat of traditional rearview mirrors.

All of these viewing devices make it necessary to ensure that the imagestransmitted by the cameras are sufficiently clear to be able to be usedreliably. Thus, these devices should not be dirty and should be able tobe cleaned easily, even automatically.

The current solution, as described in the patent application WO2016/116231, incorporated herein by reference, consists in providingviewing devices comprising a cleaning head and a camera that are movablerelative to one another between a cleaning position, in which they arenext to one another, and an active imaging position in which they arespaced apart from one another.

Such a solution has the major drawback that the camera is put out ofaction while it is being cleaned. Although this putting out of actionmay be tolerated when the cameras are being used for driving assistance,it is, by contrast, entirely inconceivable for “rearview” purposes forsafety reasons.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention aims to eliminate this drawback andprovide a viewing device designed to ensure the clearness of imagestransmitted by the camera without requiring that the latter betemporarily put out of action.

To this end, an aspect of the invention relates to an outside viewingdevice for a vehicle, having a camera that is provided with a lens andis housed in a casing having, opposite said lens, a wall, known as thefrontal wall, through which there passes an opening forming an imagingwindow of said camera, wherein, according to an aspect of the invention,this viewing device comprises:

-   -   provided in the casing, an internal partition which is at least        substantially parallel to the frontal wall of said housing and        through which there passes, next to the imaging window, an        opening with dimensions at least substantially the same as those        of said imaging window,    -   positioned next to one another, at the periphery of the        respective openings provided in the frontal wall and the        internal partition, two peripheral wiper seals that delimit a        longitudinal guide between said frontal wall and internal        partition,    -   a transparent screen with suitable dimensions for sliding        longitudinally, in a sealed manner, in the guide delimited by        the two peripheral wiper seals, between at least two imaging        positions, in each of which different surface portions of said        screen are positioned next to the imaging window,    -   means for moving the screen that are designed to slide the        latter between its different positions.

According to an aspect of the invention, the camera is thus housed in asealed casing, which is sealed by a screen that is movable inside aguide designed, for the one part, to ensure that the casing is sealed,and, for the other part, to clean the screen when the latter movesbetween its different positions, without breaking this seal.

This viewing device therefore provides a sealed casing housing thecamera, the imaging window of which is covered by a screen that is keptclean permanently, allowing the continuous operation of the camera underconditions that make it possible to ensure that the images transmittedare clear.

According to one advantageous embodiment of an aspect of the inventionthat aims to simplify the dynamics of movement of the screen in anoptimal manner, the dimensions of this screen and the means for movingthe latter are designed to make it possible to slide the latter along aback-and-forth path between two imaging positions: a first position inwhich a central surface portion is positioned next to the imagingwindow, and a second position in which an end surface portion ispositioned next to said imaging window.

In addition, in order notably to reduce the dimensions of the casing,according to an aspect of the invention, the screen and the guideadvantageously longitudinally have the shape of an arc of a cylinderwith convexity oriented toward the frontal wall of the casing.

According to another advantageous embodiment of an aspect of theinvention, the viewing device comprises a sensor for detecting thepresence of liquid and dirt on the external face of the screen, saidsensor being disposed in the casing opposite the imaging window.

In addition, means for detecting ambient light are advantageouslydesigned, according to an aspect of the invention, to adjust thedetection level of the sensor for detecting the presence of liquid anddirt depending on the ambient light.

Such a sensor for detecting the presence of liquid and dirt constitutesthe control element for managing the movements of the screen and,according to one advantageous embodiment of an aspect of the invention,control means are designed such that said movement means are activatedon the basis of the data supplied by said detection sensor.

According to another advantageous embodiment of an aspect of theinvention, means for spraying a cleaning liquid are disposed so as tospray said liquid onto the outer face of that surface portion of thescreen that is positioned next to the imaging window.

In addition, in order to optimize the dimensions of the casing, thefrontal wall of the latter has a recess in which the imaging window isprovided, and the spraying means for cleaning the outer face of thescreen are housed in said casing and disposed so as to open into therecess in the frontal wall.

Furthermore, means for spraying a cleaning liquid are likewise disposed,advantageously according to an aspect of the invention, so as to spraysaid liquid onto the inner face of a surface portion of the screen thatis situated in the casing on the outside of the guide.

According to another advantageous embodiment of an aspect of theinvention, the viewing device comprises means for heating the screenthat are servo-controlled by a temperature sensor so as to be triggeredwhen there is a risk of water deposits in the form of mist, frost, snow,etc. forming on said screen.

In addition, the control means are then advantageously designed,according to an aspect of the invention, to prevent the activation ofthe means for moving the screen during the operation of the means forheating said screen, so as to avoid any damage to the means for movingthe screen if snow, frost, etc. is present on the latter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features, aims and advantages of aspects of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description with referenceto the appended drawings, which show, by way of nonlimiting example, apreferred embodiment. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a viewing device according to anaspect of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of this viewing device shown inone of the two imaging positions of the screen,

and FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of this viewing device shownin the second imaging position of the screen.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The viewing device shown in the figures is intended to be installed onthe outside of a vehicle, for example instead of an exterior rearviewmirror.

This viewing device comprises, first and foremost, a casing 1 ofparallelepipedal overall shape in the example, having a forward frontalwall 1 a having a median recess 1 b, a rear frontal wall is in which anorifice 3 for electrically and hydraulically connecting said casing 1 isprovided, and two transverse walls such as id extending between the twofrontal walls 1 a, 1 c.

The forward frontal wall 1 a also has, passing through it, an imagingwindow 2, of rectangular shape in the example, which is provided in therecess 1 b and at the periphery of the internal face of which a wiperseal 7 such as a lip seal is secured.

On the inside, the housing 1 incorporates a partition 6 with the overallshape of a U formed:

-   -   by a frontal internal wall 6 a which is parallel to the frontal        wall 1 a of said casing 1, is provided next to the recess 1 b        and has, passing through it, next to the imaging window 2, an        opening 8 with the same shape and dimensions as those of said        imaging window 2, at the periphery of the external face of which        (face situated opposite the frontal face 1 a of the casing 1) a        wiper seal 9 such as a lip seal delimiting a longitudinal guide        with the wiper seal 7 is secured,    -   by two internal transverse walls 6 b, 6 c that connect the        internal frontal wall 6 a to the rear frontal wall 1 c of the        casing 1 and divide the internal volume of the latter into three        compartments consisting of a central compartment C1 and, on        either side of the latter, two lateral compartments C2 and C3.

The casing 1 also incorporates a screen 10 made of a transparentmaterial such as glass or a plastics material such as poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) with a suitable shape for sliding in a sealedmanner inside the guide delimited by the two wiper seals 7, 9.

Longitudinally, this screen 10 has, in the example, the shape of an arcof a cylinder with convexity oriented toward the frontal wall 1 a of thecasing 1, and the guide is designed such that said screen 10 moves alonga circular trajectory.

In addition, this screen 19 has a length that is advantageously suitablefor it to be able to be moved longitudinally between two positions,along a back-and-forth path:

-   -   a first position, shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in which a central        surface portion 10 a is positioned in the guide next to the        imaging window 2, and the end surface portions 10 b and 10 c        extend on either side of said guide, in the compartments C2 and        C3, respectively,    -   a second position, shown in FIG. 2, in which the end surface        portion 10 c that extends initially in the compartment C3 is        positioned next to the imaging window 2, and the central surface        portion 10 a and the other end surface portion 10 b extend in        the compartment C2.

Given these longitudinal movements of the screen 10, the viewing devicehas, in the example, two motorized assemblies 12, 13 that are disposedin the compartment C2 of the casing 1 on either side of said screen 10,for driving this screen 10 by friction. To this end, each of thesemotorized assemblies 12, 13 is formed by a motor for driving, in eachcase, a friction wheel in rotation.

Furthermore, the sealed casing 1, covered by the movable screen 10,described above, is equipped, first and foremost:

-   -   with a camera 4 disposed in the central compartment C1, such        that the lens of said camera 4 is aligned with the imaging        window 2,    -   with a rain sensor 5 intended to detect the presence of liquid        and dirt on the external face of the screen 10, of the infrared        sensor type, for example, also housed in the central compartment        C1.

In addition, the rain sensor 5 is coupled to a light detector 18, suchas advantageously the light sensor with which current vehicles areusually equipped, such that the detection level of said rain sensor 5 isadjusted depending on the ambient light measured by said light sensor18.

Given this coupling, the viewing device is equipped with a processingunit 19 that is generally offset, for example in a door in the“rearview” case, and is programmed to manage the viewing deviceaccording to an aspect of the invention, and to which not only the rainsensor 5 and the light sensor 18 are connected for this purpose, butalso the other equipment described above, namely: the camera 4 and thetwo motorized assemblies 12, 13.

The sealed casing 1 is also equipped with means for spraying a cleaningliquid that are disposed so as to spray said liquid respectively ontoeach of the two faces of the screen 10.

These spraying means comprise, first and foremost, a first sprayingnozzle 14 that is disposed so as to spray the cleaning liquid onto theouter face of the surface portion (10 a (FIGS. 1 and 3) or 10 c (FIG.2)) of the screen 10 positioned next to the imaging window 2.

To this end, this spray nozzle 14 is positioned in the compartment C3 soas to open into the recess 1 b and to deliver the jet of liquid in thedirection of the imaging window 2.

These spraying means also comprise a second spraying nozzle 15 disposedin the compartment C3 so as to spray the cleaning liquid onto the innerface of the end surface portion 10 c when the latter extends in saidcompartment C3 (FIGS. 1 and 3). It should likewise be noted that aspraying nozzle may be disposed in the compartment C2 so as to spray thecleaning liquid onto the inner face of the central surface portion 10 awhen the latter extends in said compartment C2 (FIG. 2).

The spray nozzles 14, 15 are also connected by lines 16 to a distributor17, the operation of which is managed by the processing unit 19.

Finally, the sealed casing 1 is also equipped with means 11 for heatingthe screen 10 that are servo-controlled by a temperature sensor (notshown) so as to be triggered when there is a risk of water deposits inthe form of mist, frost, snow, etc. forming on said screen 10.

These heating means 11 can be separate from the screen 10 and, forexample, be designed to maintain a suitable temperature inside thecasing 1 and thus also to keep the screen 10 at a suitable temperature.

These heating means 11 can also be incorporated into the screen 10 andconsist, for example, of electric wires embedded in said screen 10.

Whatever the nature thereof, the heating means 11 are also connected tothe processing unit 19, and the latter is programmed to prevent theactivation of the motorized means 12, 13 when said heating means 11 areoperating.

The above-described viewing device therefore consists of a sealed casing1 incorporating a camera 4, the imaging window 2 of which is covered bya movable transparent screen 10 which provides the sealing of the casing1 and the cleaning of which ensures that the images transmitted by thecamera 4 are clear, this being carried out without interrupting imaging.

1. An outside viewing device for a vehicle, having a camera that isprovided with a lens and is housed in a casing having, opposite saidlens, a wall, known as the frontal wall, through which there passes anopening forming an imaging window of said camera, said viewing devicecomprising: provided in the casing, an internal partition which is atleast substantially parallel to the frontal wall of said housing andthrough which there passes, next to the imaging window, an opening withdimensions at least substantially the same as those of said imagingwindow, positioned next to one another, at the periphery of therespective openings provided in the frontal wall and the internalpartition, two peripheral wiper seals that delimit a longitudinal guidebetween said frontal wall and internal partition, a transparent screenwith suitable dimensions for sliding longitudinally, in a sealed manner,in the guide delimited by the two peripheral wiper seals, between atleast two imaging positions, in each of which different surface portionsof said screen are positioned next to the imaging window, and means formoving the screen that are designed to slide the latter between itsdifferent positions.
 2. The viewing device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the dimensions of the screen and the means for moving saidscreen are designed to make it possible to slide the latter along aback-and-forth path between two imaging positions: a first position inwhich a central surface portion is positioned next to the imagingwindow, and a second position in which an end surface portion ispositioned next to said imaging window.
 3. The viewing device as claimedin claim 1, wherein the screen and the guide longitudinally have theshape of an arc of a cylinder with convexity oriented toward the frontalwall of the casing.
 4. The viewing device as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising a sensor for detecting the presence of liquid and dirt on theexternal face of the screen, said sensor being disposed in the casingopposite the imaging window.
 5. The viewing device as claimed in claim4, further comprising means for detecting ambient light that aredesigned to adjust the detection level of the sensor for detecting thepresence of liquid and dirt depending on the ambient light.
 6. Theviewing device as claimed in claim 4, further comprising control meansdesigned such that the means for moving the screen are activated on thebasis of the data supplied by the sensor for detecting the presence ofliquid and dirt.
 7. The viewing device as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising means for spraying a cleaning liquid that are disposed so asto spray said liquid onto the outer face of that surface portion of thescreen that is positioned next to the imaging window.
 8. The viewingdevice as claimed in claim 7, wherein the frontal wall of the casing hasa recess in which the imaging window is provided, the spraying means forcleaning the outer face of the screen being housed in said casing anddisposed so as to open into the recess in the frontal wall.
 9. Theviewing device as claimed in claim 7, further comprising means forspraying a cleaning liquid that are disposed so as to spray said liquidonto the inner face of a surface portion of the screen that is situatedin the casing on the outside of the guide.
 10. The viewing device asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising means for heating the screen thatare servo-controlled by a temperature sensor so as to be triggered whenthere is a risk of water deposits in the form of mist, frost, snow, etc.forming on said screen.
 11. The viewing device as claimed in claim 10,further comprising control means designed to prevent the activation ofthe means for moving the screen during the operation of the means forheating said screen.
 12. The viewing device as claimed in claim 2,wherein the screen and the guide longitudinally have a shape of an arcof a cylinder with convexity oriented toward the frontal wall of thecasing.
 13. The viewing device as claimed in claim 5, further comprisingcontrol means designed such that the means for moving the screen areactivated on the basis of the data supplied by the sensor for detectingthe presence of liquid and dirt.
 14. The viewing device as claimed inclaim 8, further comprising means for spraying a cleaning liquid thatare disposed so as to spray said liquid onto the inner face of a surfaceportion of the screen that is situated in the casing on the outside ofthe guide.